Note: For translation and structure of the chiasm scroll down to the end of this document.
The word “desire” marks the beginning and end of this paragraph. It begins with desire (or hope) deferred and ends with desire fulfilled. The verses between deal especially with the word of God and the receiving or neglecting of it. Therefore, desire here is desire for the word and the things it promises.
Desire (vv. 12 and 19)
Desires drive our lives. They are at the root of all our decisions and all our actions. Sometimes our desires may be simple and easily fulfilled: we are hungry and go to the pantry to get something to eat. Sometimes our desires are simple and not easily fulfilled. We may want to be healthy but be suffering from a chronic disease. Sometimes we may have conflicting desires, one of which may have to be denied so that we can obtain the other; choice becomes necessary. Desires may be good, such as the desire for the presence of God, and evil, such as the lust for money. Different desires may lie at the root of similar actions; you may want to work to earn money or because you love work. You may want a car either from need or pride. Some desires may be strong and others relatively weak, but you may find that the weaker desire is the one that should drive you. Then the conflict can be fierce: I want this or that, but I know that I must not have it or have it yet. We would make no decisions and do nothing without desire. This is part, at least, of what the Scriptures mean when they say, “Out of the heart are the issues of life.”
What kind of desire dominates and drives you is an important question. Are your desires godly or wicked? Are they wise or foolish? Which desire should you pursue first? Which should you deny or even suppress? Which can you satisfy now, and for which must you wait? You may not let desires alone drive you, so that the strongest desire is always the first you pursue, nor may you always seek immediate gratification. You must judge your desires. You must think and apply the word of God also in this area of your life. Jesus, said, “Seek first the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness.” Are you doing that?
Verse 12 sounds very earthbound, but we must understand it in connection with verse 19; it is an abomination to a fool to turn aside from evil, that is to deny himself the satisfaction of his desire. Such denial makes the heart sick; it is not pleasant, and it is all the more unpleasant if the desire is strong. You may set your heart on something and then find that it will not happen, or that you must wait longer than you expected. This can be true also in spiritual things. My grandfather longed for glory because of the many infirmities of his old age. At one time he was very sick and thought that he would die, but he recovered and said, “I was in the vestibule of heaven, and God pushed me out again.” You may pray fervently for something good and get no answer or find that God delays. The psalmists often call on God to arise or to awake, as if he were not paying attention to them or were asleep. You may work hard to accomplish something for a righteous cause and see all your labor come to nothing. You struggle against the weakness of the flesh only to fall again into the same old sin. Sick at heart, you may despair and fall into spiritual lethargy and indifference.
The other side of this coin is that the greater the desire or the longer the delay in its coming, the greater the joy when fulfillment comes. That is a tree of life, something that makes you want to sing and dance, especially in the spiritual realm. The joy of fulfilled desire is all the sweeter when you have waited patiently for God. Abraham and Sarah waited a long time for the child of the promise, and when he came named him Isaac (Laughter); “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me” (Gen. 21:6). After the crucifixion the disciples strongly desired the life of their Lord, but did not remember that he had said that he would rise from the dead. When he appeared to them, their joy was great. “Desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul” (v. 19).
Nevertheless, not all desires are good. Only a fool thinks that it is an abomination to turn aside from evil. You must deny or suppress some desires, because they are not compatible with love for your God and your neighbor. That can be a hard struggle, but God gives strength through prayer and his word. This is the connection with verses 13–18.
Receiving the Word (vv. 13–18)
Verses 13–18 are all about receiving the word of God, though that word may come to you through parents, wise men (v.14) and teachers. The verses form a chiasm. Verses 13 and 18 are about rewards for those who receive and reject the word, verses 14 and 17 are about the messengers of the word, and verses 15 and 16 are about the wisdom or folly that results from hearing or neglecting the word.
Verses 13 and 18
Verse 13 contrasts one who despises the word and one who fears the commandment. “Despise” does not necessarily mean active hatred; it may be no more than a contemptuous or dismissive attitude to the word, or disregard of it. Disregard may be of the kind that has an interest in the word, but not an interest that arises from love for God or a desire to serve him. Such disregard uses it for some other end than the saving and life-directing purposes for which God gave it. Despisers of the word bring destruction on themselves. They are not true hearers, and they do not see themselves or the glory of God in it. The word itself has a destructive effect on them. It becomes for them “an aroma of death leading to death” (2 Cor. 2:16).
But there are also those who fear the commandment. Fear is the opposite of despising. It regards the word with awe and takes seriously its threats and promises. It trembles at the word because it is the voice of God himself who is to be feared. “My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments” (Ps. 119:120). God looks with favor on that man (Isa. 66:2) and repays him according to his righteousness.
Verse 18 does the same thing as verse 13; it contrasts one who neglects instruction with one who observes rebuke. The words instruction and rebuke are closer in meaning than might appear from the translation. The Hebrew word which we often translate as instruction also means chastisement or discipline (cf. Prov. 3:11, 6:23, 7:22); we could translate, “Poverty and shame will be to the one who neglects chastening.” God intends chastening for our instruction. If you neglect it, you refuse to acknowledge its justice and worth, and you lose the opportunity to increase in wisdom. Persisting in that way will lead to poverty and shame. Those may come in this life, but they will surely come afterwards in the ultimate poverty of losing everything including life, and the ultimate shame of hearing the Lord say, “Depart from me.”
But the one who observes a rebuke will be honored. He takes note of proper rebuke and treats it as a commandment given for his good. He changes his life accordingly. He will be honored by the approving voice of God in his conscience and the ultimate honor of hearing the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Verse 14 and 17
Verses 14 and 17 are about the messengers of the word. Verse 14 calls a faithful messenger a wise one. These messengers are parents, friends, acquaintances, enemies, children, preachers and elders, in fact, anyone who speaks the truth to you for your instruction and correction. Because they are wise, they give commandments that conform to the word of God and apply, perhaps painfully, to your life. It is wise to listen to them. Their word is a fountain of life that nourishes the soul. The commandment of God defines the sphere of life, and Christ’s work is to restore us to that sphere first by paying the debt of our transgressions of the commandment and then by correcting all the perversities and faults of our natures. He uses both people and circumstances to accomplish the latter. The wise man’s law, carefully heeded, will help you to turn aside from the snares.
Verse 14 is a synonymous parallelism about the wise messenger, but its parallel, verse 17, is about both wise and wicked messengers. Both of the Hebrew words used in this verse designate persons who act in an official capacity. The word for messenger often refers to angels, but also to the prophets and others sent on errands by their masters (cf. Gen. 32:3, Num. 20:14). The other word seems to be even narrower in scope; it refers to the ambassadors of a king or prince.
A wicked messenger is one who does not communicate correctly the words of his master. He fails to deliver the message or modifies it according to his own judgment. He will fall into evil. The anger of his master (God himself) will catch up with him and bring him into the snares of death which he laid for those to whom he failed to bring the master’s message.
The parallel between lines 1 and 2 of the verse is not precise. In the first line we read about the reward of the wicked messenger, but in this line about the results of the words of the faithful ambassador. He tells his hearers what his master told him to say. This is the faithful preaching of the gospel. It alone has the power to deliver from death and give life. His word is health.
But the parallel with the first line also suggests that the faithful ambassador receives a reward. His reward will be the same as that of those who hear and keep his word. He will receive life and health.
Verses 15 and 16
Verses 15 and 16 are about what the hearers do with the word of the faithful messengers. Some learn prudence. They are shrewd (in a positive sense) and act according to the knowledge and wisdom they have learned. They obtain the favor of God. This is their reward.
But others are treacherous. They do not receive the word of their king, and they deal faithlessly with him, with his messengers, and even with those who obey the king’s commandment. Their way is enduring. Though most of the translations make this mean that their way is hard, it is also possible that Solomon means that they get into the habit of sin, their consciences become seared, and it becomes more and more difficult to turn them to a different way.
These treacherous hearers are fools and spread out folly. Translators disagree on the proper interpretation of the word “spread out.” Some take it in a rather passive sense; the fool lays open his folly. Men begin to see it while he lives and will see it with blinding clarity in the judgment. Others take it in a more active sense: fools flaunt their folly. Their neglect of the word becomes an open contempt for and rejection of it. Whatever the case, their folly will be seen and rejected both by God and wise men.
Conclusion
The conclusion of the matter is, desire what is good and wait patiently for God to fill your longing soul with his blessing. Let the word instruct and correct all your desires. Do not despise the word but fear the commandment. Receive Christ the wisdom of God who comes to you in his word and by his messengers. In him live the life of obedient hope and wisdom. You will eat of the tree of life and find grace in the eyes of the Lord.
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